1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and mechanism for storing and dispensing coins or tokens in a gaming machine, and more particularly relates to a method and mechanism for storing, agitating and dispensing a large volume of larger-diameter tokens in a gaming machine .
2. Background of the Invention
U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,544, and No. 4,148,331 are illustrative of gaming machine coin handling mechanisms. These references disclose an apparatus comprising a hopper for holding a supply of coins, an inclined rotary disc having coin-receiving pockets, and an arcuate trough or gutter at the foot of the hopper through which the lower portion of the disc rotates and into which the coins gravitate and tumble to lodge in the pockets, by which they are lifted to a higher level to be counted and dispensed. Maximum operating efficiency is achieved when all of the pockets are occupied by coins in each cycle of revolution of the disc and the disc is rotated at an optimal speed consistent with the ability of the coins to work into the pockets as a result of the random movements of the coins jostling against the face of the disc.
An inherent problem with such a system is the tendency of the coins to jam. This tendency increases as the volume of the hopper and the size (diameter) of the coins increase, and is a particular problem with large coins such as the $5 tokens commonly used in gaming machines. The problem is compounded by the fact that larger coins require a larger hopper to store the same quantity of coins.
In the operation of the machines known in the art, there is an inherent tendency of the accumulated coins in the hopper to be dragged along by the lower portion of the disc in the direction of rotation and to pile up in the corner of the hopper from which the disc begins to rise. There is a further tendency for this pile of coins to build up reversely back across the hopper toward the opposite or disc reentry corner and thus create a barrier across the gutter blocking entry of coins into the gutter. As a result, the disc may rotate for periods without picking up any coins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,331 and No. 4,574,824 disclose an agitating method and means using an agitator mounted centrally on the coin dispensing disc to stir the coins. This improvement somewhat reduces, but does not eliminate, the blocking decribed above, and by itself is ineffective, particularly with larger diameter coins and larger size hoppers. Further, the agitating/mixing function is integral with the dispensing function, since the agitator turns only when the coin dispensing disc is turning. If the coin dispensing disc becomes jammed, there is no convenient way to agitate the coins to break up the jam.